All Alabama state parks in danger of closing over budget woes

The budgets passed by the legislature in June and earlier this month - both vetoed by Gov. Robert Bentley -- would have resulted in the closure of all 22 Alabama state parks, the parks director said Tuesday.

That danger remains in place as lawmakers and Bentley continue to haggle over how best to solve a state budget shortfall.

In an interview with AL.com following a news conference Tuesday at Joe Wheeler State Park in Rogersville, state parks director Greg Lein said the potential impact of the budget shortfalls in Montgomery are more dire than when he first said in April that 15 of the parks could be shut down.

Bentley is expected to call the legislature back into a second special session as lawmakers and the governor wrestle over the best solution to pay for state services. Lawmakers have refused to accept Bentley's push for new taxes - opting for steep budget cuts instead -- and Bentley has refused to take his tax package off the table.

In the regular session that ended in June, Lein said the budget legislators passed and sent to Bentley included more than $9 million in cuts to the state parks budget.

"That $9.2 million budget (cut) that the governor vetoed, that was a parks killer," Lein told AL.com. "That would have shut down the parks system. We know that now."

It's a startling revelation after an outcry across the state when Lein first said 15 of the 22 parks were set for closure as a result of the legislature's proposed budget at the time.

While parks like Joe Wheeler, Lake Guntersville and Lake Lurleen were among those targeted for closure, the list could grow to include every park - including original survivors such as Gulf State Park, Wind Creek, Oak Mountain and Monte Sano.

Lein said state parks are seeking level funding for the 2016 fiscal year, which amounts to about $38 to $40 million. That breaks down to about $30 million in parks revenue and $8 million from two state taxes earmarked for the parks.

Lein cited a University of Alabama study from two years ago that assessed the economic impact of the 22 parks on the state at about $400 million annually.

While lawmakers passed a budget in June slicing $9.2 million from state parks, the cuts ballooned to $18 million during the special session. Bentley's refusal to accept the budgets has necessitated a second special session, which the governor has not yet scheduled.

If the legislature prevails in its budget showdown with Bentley, that could be the death knell of the state parks, Lein said. He and a host of others who spoke at the news conference urged people to contact their representatives to share their opinions on potential cuts to state services.

"Every time I think about Alabama state parks, the first thing that comes to mind is happy," said Sandra Burroughs of Mountain Lakes Tourism said. "It's happy times, it's fun, it's family, it's relaxing. That's what everybody's vision for the state parks are. We don't want to lose that.

"I've already been contacting my own legislators. And now I'm going beyond my area. I've called people who have no idea who I am."

Rogersville Mayor Richard Herston spoke on the ripple effect that would result if the parks are closed. He said about 10 percent of his town's budget comes from people visiting Joe Wheeler State Park.

"I encourage you to talk to your legislators and let them know it's time to be businessmen, not politicians," said Chuck Sykes, director of Alabama wildlife and freshwater fisheries division.